Infested
by itachi's future wife
Summary: Stiles couldn't keep himself out of trouble if you paid him. Post-season two. No spoilers. Sterek, Scallison and others.
1. Prologue

Infested: Prologue

"I really don't understand the problem. If you want to be married so bad, why don't you propose yourself? You are a man too after all." Danny clicked his flashlight on as they lowered themselves down into the tunnels. The old subway ran for miles beneath Beacon Hills and despite its disuse, the passageways remained intact.

"What does Derek want us looking for down here again?" Danny asked, a look of revulsion on his face. "This place is disgusting. It smells horrible."

"Well, what did you expect? You should have seen it when Derek's pack was based here. It was miserable coming to pack meetings." Stiles stopped walking and waved his flashlight around the abandoned space. "We're trying to figure out what's going on with the rats."

"You mean to tell me that Derek sent us down here on freaking pest control?" Danny groaned. "Is that why all the wolves are topside and we're here?"

"Training day. Supposedly the rough stuff. He doesn't want any of the humans getting hurt and he's right, the rats are a problem." Stiles bent down to search the floor.

"I don't see a problem. I don't even see any rats!"

"That's the point. There aren't any. This place should be crawling. Deaton's the one who's really concerned though. Rats are supposedly an indicator to an area's livability. If the rats are scared, we should be too. That's what he said, at least." Stiles hummed thoughtfully. "I told him I'd go ahead and check so the wolves could have day to themselves. You should be happy! This means you get to spend the whole day with me!" Stiles laughed brightly. "It could be worse." He peeked down another tunnel, his eyes following the tracks into the dark. "Dude, you're totally right though. This place is freaky." Stiles called. He turned to get Danny's attention but found that the man was no longer behind him.

"Danny? Danny where'd you go?" Stiles called. "Danny, hey man, answer me!" Stiles tried to keep the growing panic out of his voice. During the years that they'd established a Pack, they'd encountered several magical creatures both friendly and well…not so friendly. Plenty of them could have taken refuge down in the tunnels.

"Uh Stiles…" Danny's voice was far away, "you're gonna want to come look at this." Stiles breathed a sigh of relief and moved towards Danny's voice until he was within sight.

"Dude, stick together. You'd think you would have learned that over the years." Stiles laughed half-heartedly. "Now what was so important?" He came up behind his friend and pointed his flashlight out onto the tracks. "Holy shit-"

"I think we found your rats."


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

_"Will you step into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly;  
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.  
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,  
And I have many pretty things to show when you are there."  
"O no, no," said the little fly, "to ask me is in vain,  
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."_

"They're everywhere." Stiles gasped. "No poison could have done this. This is…this was a massacre." There were dead rats covering every inch of the rails.

"Well, that explains the smell." Danny covered his mouth and nose with his hand.

"God, it's not just rats. Is that a fucking deer? That's a fucking deer! What the hell is that doing down here!?" Stiles demanded.

"I really don't want to fucking know, Stiles. Let's just get out of here, okay? Tell your boyfriend that you found his rats and let him send someone with claws and fangs to come down here and investigate." Danny looked ready to turn tail and run. It wasn't so much the dead animals that scared him, but the way they had been killed. They were in fucking parts, strewn all over the train tracks. The deer looked as if it had been mauled and then dragged throughout the station.

"We can't leave yet, we have to figure out what killed them. I can't just tell Derek 'Hey, we found some dead rats. No idea what happened to them 'cause we freaked out and ran.' Yeah, he'll be really happy to hear that." Stiles groaned and then lowered move to the edge of the landing before lowering himself down onto the tracks.

"Careful of the third rail." He heard Danny's feet hit the ground behind him.

"No power to the station. Shouldn't a problem." Stiles responded. He stepped carefully in between the carcasses in varying states of decay. Some looked weeks old, already having been preyed upon by insects, eaten down to the bare bone. Others, hell, they looked like they could still be breathing.

"Hey Stiles, you did pretty good in bio, right?" Danny whispered behind him.

"Yeah why? And why the fuck are you whispering?" Stiles whisper-shouted back.

"Because I don't want whatever did this," Danny motioned with his flashlight, "to know we're here. My real question, Mr. Sarcastic is, is that normal?" he stopped his light over one of the more intact rat corpses. Stiles bent down to take a look.

"Jesus…" he breathed. The body had been split right down the middle and the entrails replaced with what looked like pearls. Misty, white, little balls encased in a pale, milky slime filled what should have been the rat's belly.

"Please tell me you know what those are because my mind is conjuring up things that no one should ever think about." Danny almost sounded pleading.

"Shut up! You freaking out is freaking me out!" Stiles took a deep breath. "Do you still have the backpack I gave you?"

"Yeah."

"There should be some jars in there. Grab one out and hand it to me." Stiles held out his hand.

Danny handed him one of the small mason jars and Stiles unscrewed the lid. He used the metal to scoop some of the slime out of the rat's body and then closed the jar. He held his flash light up to the glass to get a better look.

"Fuck me…"

"No thanks."

"Haha fuck you." Stiles punched him lightly in the arm. "These look like eggs, man. Insect eggs if I had to place it." He said. "Check the other rats and the deer. Hell, look and see if there are any other animals down here. We need to see if all of them have these." Stiles handed the jar back to Danny who placed it back in his backpack.

They separated but stayed within sight of each other as they checked over the other carcasses.

"There's another deer back here and a couple of rabbits too." Danny called. "Looks like there's eggs in all of them."

"Same here. Whatever these things are, you can bet that when they hatch, it ain't gonna be pretty. We need to get the one's we pick up back to Deaton. See if he can identify what we found." Stiles pulled out his cell phone and shot a quick text to Derek.

_To: SourWolf_

_Found your rats. Looks like we may have a minor pest problem_

He shoved his phone back into his pocket.

"Hey Stiles, I know you said insect eggs but do spiders lay eggs like these too?" Danny asked out of nowhere.

"Um, I'm not sure. I would think they would wrap their eggs in silk but I suppose it's possible. Why?" Stile asked.

"Would that be considered wrapping?" Danny was a little further up the rail following the turn of the track. Stiles jogged to meet him, ignoring the growing pit in his stomach. Just how bad was this?

"What the…" he breathed when he reached Danny's side, "that definitely isn't natural." The entire tunnel was closed off. A thick layer of what looked to be webbing stretched from the ground to the high ceiling above.

"Stiles, is that a spider web? Please tell me that isn't a fucking spider web!" Danny hissed at him.

"I don't know." Stiles brushed his fingers lightly over the webbing. It was light and springy to the touch, what he'd imagine a spider's web to feel like.

"So I've tried to keep myself from freaking out as long as we've been down here but I'm officially done now. Can we please leave now? Maybe come back with reinforcements. Preferably of the werewolf nature." Danny chided, already heading back the way they came.

"Fine. You're right. Let's get out of here before we meet the things that made this." Stiles agreed. He and Danny began the trek back up through the shafts to find the whole the climbed down through.

"You have to be kidding me." Danny groaned. The passageway they'd previously come through was covered with the same webbing as before. "There's no way it moved that fast. We had to have made a wrong turn somewhere."

"No. This is the right way. The entrance should be right through…well…that." Stile gestured to the blockage with a loose wave of his hand. "We have two options. We find another way or we try to cut through it. I have a hunting knife in my back pack."

"Don't know why I got involved in all this Pack shit. Magic, werewolves, spiders that weave giant webs. I should've just gone to MIT and never come back." Danny groused as he dug through the backpack to find Stiles' knife. "Here."

Stiles grabbed the knife by the handle and began hacking at the web. It was surprisingly tough and stood up better to his knife than he thought it would. Eventually, after what felt like hours, he had a big enough hole. He handed the knife back to Danny.

"You first." He said.

Danny slung the backpack over his shoulder and climbed through the hole.

"I feel like I just walked through a cobweb, oh wait-"

"Shut up and move it. Don't make me shove you." Danny finally made it all the way through and reached back for Stiles.

"Come on, I'll help pull you through."

"Thanks." Stiles grabbed his hand and tried to haul himself out of the web as quickly as possible. He felt a sudden prick of pain on the back of his leg.

"Not so easy is it?" Danny joked, giving his hand a light tug. "That shit's sticky too." Stiles shook his head. It was like Danny's voice was suddenly getting farther and farther away even though he knew the man was right in front of him. He tried to voice his concerns but found he couldn't. It was almost as if his mouth was full of glue.

"Stiles? You okay, man? Stiles!" Danny gave his arm a hard yank but Stiles wouldn't budge. The man's eyes had gone glassy, like he wasn't all there. Danny had a moment to think about slapping him in the face before Stiles was snatched back through the hole.

"Stiles!?" Danny watched in horror as the hole was re-stitched, black legs as long as his arm working furiously to close the rip. He got one last glimpse of his friend being dragged down onto the rail.

Danny made it back to the surface. He knew he couldn't help Stiles alone. He had Stiles' bag so, he had his keys. His hands shook and he broke probably every traffic law ever written in his haste to get back to the Hale House. The tires squealed as he slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the Jeep. He didn't even bother to shut it off before running into the house.

"Derek!" He shouted frantically.

"Danny? What's wrong? I could hear your heartbeat from a mile away." Jackson was smirking at him from the porch. "Something spook you down in the big bad tunnels?"

But Danny didn't have time for jokes. He shoved past Jackson and into the house. Derek was in the kitchen. Isaac and Allison were helping him cook while the others sat around and watched. Derek looked up as Danny rushed in, concern on his face.

"Danny-"

"Stiles was taken by something down in the tunnels. We think its spiders. Well, I thought it was spiders but Stiles wasn't sure. Anyway, he started acting weird and then suddenly he was gone-"

"And you fucking left him!?" Derek demanded. The plate in his hands was smashed to bits.

"I didn't have a choice. You didn't see that thing! Hell, I didn't see all of it but what I did see, no way. It would have killed me!" Danny argued.

"So what? You ran like a coward? Left Stiles to die?"

"I ran for help!"

"He's probably dead by now! Why didn't you-"

"Do what Derek? Fight?" Danny let out a bitter laugh. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to underestimate myself but I'm no fool. I know a fight better suited for a werewolf when I see one! I didn't stand a chance!" Danny stood nose to nose with the Alpha, staring him down. Finally, Danny deflated under the weight of Derek's accusatory gaze.

"I know he's your mate and that even though you don't say it, you love him. Believe me, I know. That's why I came back so fast. I couldn't save him but I know you can." Danny reached back and opened the back pack. "We found these. Stiles wanted to take them to Deaton to see if he recognized them. I think we should follow through with that plan. You don't want to go into this blind."

"He's right. Stiles would tell you the same thing." Lydia had brushed Stiles off at the very idea of going into the subway. Now she wondered if maybe she should have gone after all. Derek finally sighed, a resignation in his eyes.

"Fine. We'll see Deaton first."

Stiles was slow to wake. He his eyelids had never felt so heavy before and his right leg was aching terribly.

"You're awake, I see. About time too. If you'd gone any longer, I'd thought you dead." Stiles heard a quiet voice say. He tried to look around but found it difficult to move even the slightest bit. "You're still tired. Rest now. You're body's acclimating to the venom, becoming resistant." Stiles felt a hand on his leg, right at the epicenter of his pain.

"If you're to do what I need you too, you'll need to be fully immune. That will take several doses, of course. Don't fret. You'll be perfect by the time I'm finished." Gentle fingers brushed through his hair. "Such a blessing to come when you did. It's like you were dropped off by the Gods in my time of need. Sleep now. Tomorrow, the real fun begins."


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

_"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;  
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the spider to the fly.  
"There are pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets are fine and thin,  
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in."  
"O no, no," said the little fly, "for I've often heard it said,  
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed."_

When Stiles reawakened, he was alone. His mind was only slightly clearer but he could move his head. If he tried hard enough, he could even move his arms.

"You're awake. I've been waiting." Stiles swiveled his head to left just a little bit to see a man watching him. He was well dressed in a clean tailored black suit, his hair neat and slicked back. His skin was ghostly pale and his eyes were almost black. He watched Stiles intently.

"Who are you?" Stiles' tongue felt like sandpaper. Just how long had he been out?

"I thought that the children would unnerve you so I sent them away. They're anxious to meet you." Stiles cringed at the thought. "Alexander is a name I've always favored when I've walked amongst humanity. I've been told it suits me." He sent Stiles a wry grin. "To think that in my time of tragedy, the great Arachne, mother of my race delivers to me a new mate." He ran his hand of the skin of Stiles cheek. Stiles shivered at the feeling of his cold fingers.

"Mate? No I already have a mate." He asserted groggily. His mind was becoming foggy again. He could feel himself slipping back into unconsciousness.

"I promise this stage will pass. Once you become fully immune, you'll be whole again. I'd say you may be even better than before. My mate was killed but now, I have you to step in and take her place." Stiles felt gentle fingers running through his hair. "Sleep now." He did.

"So describe what you saw again? I just want to make sure I've got this straight." Jackson snickered.

"I told you what I saw. Now you're just being an ass." Danny had his arms crossed, a sour expression on his face. They were in Jackson's Porsche, a newer model that he'd paid for all on his own.

"I mean, giant spiders? Really Danny? Not hunter's pulling a really elaborate and albeit shitty prank to trap us? They're probably planning on using Stiles as bait to get to Derek. God knows why. I'm still waiting on that relationship to like, spontaneously combust or something." The car came to a red light and Jackson began drumming on the steering wheel.

"You know, Jackson, I'm getting really sick of this. You acted like a jerk in high school and I let you get away with because it was just that, fucking high school. Now it's just annoying. The shit you've got with Stiles, you need to let it go. The guy could be dead and you're really going to trash his relationship?" Danny snapped angrily. He tried to heave a calming breath. Danny wasn't one to anger easily but the events of the day had quickly set him on edge. "I saw what I saw okay. It may not have been anything magic at all."

"Calm the fuck down! I was just kidding, jeez!" Jackson snapped. "And when did you two get so chummy anyway? You've been spending all your time with him lately."

"Is that what this is? Jealousy?" Danny demanded incredulously. "We're friends. The Pack's always busy with wolf business. Lydia still thinks she's too good for us and Allison's got that new job. It's just us. Stiles is…was my friend and I think I might have left him to die so I'd appreciate you either being an empathetic boyfriend or backing the fuck off."

Jackson remained quiet for a few moments. "I'm not jealous." He finally said. "And I hope Stiles isn't dead."

Danny knew that was all the apology he was going to get.

Stiles awoke to a solid weight covering his chest. He still couldn't tell where he was, only that it was dark, a few slivers of light peeking through the ceiling.

"You're awake. Werewolves aren't the only ones that can hear the change in a person's heartbeat." Alexander's quiet voice came. He lifted himself up onto his elbows and looked Stiles in his face. "Is your head clearer? Would you like something to eat, to drink maybe?"

Stiles had been kidnapped before (more times than he'd like to share) and he knew that when dealing with someone delusional, he should do his best to play into their fantasy until an opportunity for escape or rescue arose.

"I could really use a glass of water." Stiles said. Alexander smiled and then snapped his finger, a low hiss reverberating deep from within his chest.

"It'll take them a moment. They're still young, learning control. I was thinking we could just lounge around today. Maybe if you're feeling up to it, we can take a stroll around the full nest."

"Nest?"

"Of course? Where on Earth did you think you were?" Alexander's voice was filled with mirth as if it where the most obvious thing in the world. He rolled himself off of the bed and adjusted his blazer. "I'll come and see you in a few hours."

"Okay." Stiles watched the man walk away, off into the dark. He waited a few moments before lifting himself up to finally take in his surroundings. As far as he could tell, he was deep within the subway. He was in an abandoned train car. The inside had been gutted and layered in a fine silk. Stiles himself was resting one what was actually a very comfortable pallet. He ran his fingers over the woven strands covering the pallet. They weren't like the threads blocking off the tunnels but finer and more soft.

Stiles tried heave himself up onto his feet. He wobbled a bit before falling back down. "Way to go Stiles. Really. Way to get kidnapped again. Fuck, Derek's gonna be _pissed_." He groaned.

Suddenly, the car door snapped open and two long thin legs poked in. They were jointed in four places with two five inch claws at the tip. The creature drummed lightly in the web with its two legs before entering. Stiles scooted back on the pallet with all the force his legs could muster. He had to put distance between himself and the thing. Two more legs came through the opening and gripped both sides of the entryway before hoisting a large spider into the train car.

It was about the size of a St. Bernard with a large bulbous abdomen. It was a night black in color, flecks of navy danced when it was hit by the light. Its two front legs continued to drum on the web and it was only then that Stiles realized, it didn't have eyes. He immediately went still, trying not to even breathe. If he didn't disturb the web, it couldn't see him. The giant arachnid stopped, and then Stiles saw it: a bowl of water balanced precariously on its back. He let out a sigh, remembering his request.

"That's what I get, asking for room service at _Katz Motel_." He chuckled dryly. "I supposed you're not here to kill me then?" The spider climbed daintily over the pallet and over to Stiles' side. "Can't see too good, huh? Put that under things to use against you when I get out of here." Water gently sloshed in the bowl as the spider lowered its belly to the floor, making it easy for Stiles to reach it. "Or I could keep you. You seem nice." The spider seemed to preen at the praise, clicking its mandibles loudly. Stiles took a long drink from the bowl and sighed before placing it back on the spider's back. "I'm going to be here a while aren't I?"

"Dr. Deaton?" Danny called as they entered the old vet's office. "Are you here?"

"I heard you had quite the scare down in the subway." Dr. Deaton removed his gloves as he came out of the exam room. "I believe Derek said you had something for me?" Deaton raised an eyebrow at the two young men.

"Stiles pulled these out of one of the dead rats we found. He said they looked like insect eggs. The webs looked like spider webs but we weren't sure and well, as Jackson so kindly pointed out, I'm not so sure what I saw." Danny dumped the contents of Stiles' backpack onto the examination table. He handed the jar over.

Deaton took it with gentle hands before holding it up to the light. A look of horror soon came over his face.

"How many? How many of these did you find?" He asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"Too many to count." Danny responded gravely. "All the animals we saw were infected with these…things." He grimaced.

"Tell Derek to take the Pack and leave. We need to find a way to evacuate the town as quickly as possible. If they're building webs already, some have already hatched. We need to move fast." Deaton said quickly. He opened the jar and set it down on the table before opening a drawer and pulling out a box of matches and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. He poured some of the alcohol in with the eggs and then lit a match. He dropped it into the jar and then watched as the contents burst into flames. He waited a few minutes for them to sufficiently burn before putting the lid back on, snuffing out the small fire.

"If you're seeing evidence of their feeding, then enough have already hatched to begin feeding the young. It may already be too late for any chance of escape. We've been surrounded in the dark."

"Okay, the mysterious hint dropping and allusions were cool party tricks back when we were in high school but now, we really just want a fucking straight answer. I'm not getting chewed out because you didn't give us what we needed." Jackson growled.

"Of course. They're called _Spidrens_. Creatures half-man, half spider. They begin life as the arachnid and devour everything in sight before growing into men. They're the stuff nightmares are made of." Deaton sounded as calm as ever. "Tell the Alpha that this is no longer a _just_ pest problem. We are now facing an infestation_._"


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

_Said the cunning spider to the fly, "Dear friend, what shall I do,  
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?  
I have within my pantry good store of all that's nice;  
I'm sure you're very welcome; will you please to take a slice?"  
"O no, no," said the little fly, "kind sir, that cannot be;  
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see."_

Stiles knew logically that he was still asleep. However, that didn't stop him from curling back into the arms wrapped so tightly around him.

"Derek?" He whispered, slightly afraid of what he might hear?

"Stiles." Derek's voice was deep with sleep, just like Stiles always remembered it. He remembered always waking up that way. Even if they had gone to bed back to back, somehow during the night he'd end up nuzzled into Derek's chest. If he concentrated hard enough, he could almost smell the scent of Derek's preferred aftershave.

"You have to come find me Derek." He murmured sadly. "He's doing something to me. I don't know what but I know it's bad. I think he's trying to poison me. I can barely move."

"You know I'm looking for you. You're my mate, Stiles. I haven't failed you yet." Derek's voice was already getting farther and farther away. Stiles held tight to the hand resting on his belly as if he could will himself to stay asleep. He knew there were horrors waiting for him in the waking world. Horrors with eight legs and overly touchy hands.

"Why haven't you asked me to marry you yet?" He finally asked quietly.

"That's something you're going to have to ask the real Derek. I'll only give you the answers you want to hear." Stiles chuckled dryly.

"Guess I'll just have to wait for you to get me out of here. So much for lucid dreaming." Stiles laughed humorlessly and clutched tighter to his dream-Derek, already feeling himself slipping into the waking world.

Stiles jolted awake to a prick on his leg. "Ow!" he batted at his leg frantically until the source of the pain stopped. A small spider landed on the bed next to him. This one was around the size of his hand and a pale yellow in color. It shrunk away from his swatting hand.

"Oh now you've sacred him?" Alexander tsked from behind him. "Don't get angry, he's only following orders after all."

"Orders? Your orders?" Stiles demanded incredulously. "You've been poisoning me?"

"Of course not. I told you you needed to be immune to their venom. Just small bites to get you used to it. We don't want any accidents. Nothing major. It's the reason you've been feeling so lethargic these last few hours." Alexander dragged a hand though Stiles' hair, scratching his scalp gently. "You've gotten so much better though. We can walk around the nest. I even have a surprise for you." Alexander helped to hoist him to his feet.

Stiles stumbled a little bit but was able to stand.

"Good, good." Alexander slid his hand down to the base of Stiles' neck. "You're beautiful you know? The children want to see you but I'm considering keeping you all to _myself_." He leaned forward to burrow his nose against Stiles' neck, taking a deep whiff. "Delicious, the scent of dog is almost gone." He breathed. Stiles shuddered in fear as one of Alexander's hands slid down to the small of his back, gradually going lower.

"I thought you were going to show me around." He prodded shakily, gently pushing Alexander away. "I want to see the nest you've built."

Alexander beamed at him. "Come on then."

Stiles had grossly underestimated the size of what he would see. By the looks of it, they'd taken over the subway in just under a few hours. Webs stretched from floor to ceiling, engulfing the rails. It just looked like one huge padded cell. There were Spiders everywhere. The smallest were the size of his palm and the largest, the size of a small car. They crowed Alexander and Stiles, mandibles clicking and legs switching back and forth.

"We'll be ready by the night I think. We've already put a perimeter around the town. They're done feeding on rodents and scum. By night we'll feast." There was a cacophony of violent hissing at that.

"Ah yes, the devouring of the innocent townspeople. Sounds great." Stiles visibly cringed. Alexander let out a laugh.

"It's a price they have to pay. They're a lesser species. Predators and prey, Stiles. Predators and prey. Come now. Let me show you more." Alexander held out his arm and Stiles reluctantly took it. "Most of the eggs have hatched. There's probably only one clutch left. See the little yellow ones? They're the newest. They'll eat the rats they hatched in and then grow. They'll shed their skin and then become change color." He explained.

"So they're all going to be black?" Stiles asked.

"Not all. Most. The lieutenants, the ones who will lead small hunting parties above are Red." Alexander pointed to his left. There was a crimson-red spider, bigger than all the rest, with thicker legs and huge eyes. Stiles had no doubt that this one had no trouble seeing. Its body was built like a tank, all armor and plating, spines decorating its abdomen and legs. He'd had to see a wolf go up against one of those. "The humans will try to hide. We need something strong enough to drag them out."

Stiles gulped. The spider locked eyes on him and its mandibles gnashed together violently.

"I get it. So it's like a hierarchy? You've got your betas, your lieutenants, and then you. The alpha?"

"The _King._" Alexander corrected fondly. He caressed Stiles' cheek. "And every King requires a Queen."

"Spidrens? You've got to be kidding me." Chris Argent groaned. "I have known no idea why we decided to move here. It's been one nightmare after the next."

"I'm confused. What's a spidren?" Sheriff Stilinski asked.

"I second that question." Isaac chimed in.

"They're hell on wheels. One of the most ancient creatures. There hasn't been a brood in the last hundred years or so. Of course, when they decide to make a grand reappearance, they settle here." Chris snapped. "How long until we're over run?"

"By the looks of it, we're already there." Deaton took a sip of his tea and sighed.

They'd decided to meet at the sheriff's home because it was a sort of neutral ground. The Argents didn't want to be at the Hale house and vice versa. Sheriff Stilinski, who'd become acquainted with the supernatural only a few years earlier, was more than happy to play mediator.

"In the time of the Greek Gods, a young woman boasted that she was a better weaver than the Goddess of weaving. She challenged the goddess, Athena, to a weaving competition but was arrogant and failed. As punishment for her pride, Athena turned her into a spider, a creature who weaves beautifully but never can boast about it. In retaliation, the woman, Arachne, gave birth to the race known as the _Spidrens_. Fearsome creatures, they begin life as eggs then spiders. They eat everything in sight until they're large enough and powerful enough to take a human shape. You can imagine, that takes a lot of eating." Deaton sighed. "It's best to defeat a nest before it takes root. We've inspected the town borders and as expected, they've been blocked off. We have maybe a day before they come to the surface and begin their attack."

"Alright, we know all that. How do we beat them?" Jackson rolled his eyes. "C'mon, we've all heard the gloom and doom talk, we know what we're dealing with. Let's find a way to fight them off."

"You don't fight Spidrens. You get the hell out of dodge before they come to the surface and pray they don't find you." Chris snapped. "Seeing as that's not an option, I have no idea what we're supposed to do. A Spidren female lays a nest maybe once every eighty years? And when that nest erupts, there's nothing left over. No wreckage, no bones. _Nothing_."

"And Stiles?" Derek question. He'd been even quieter than usual since Stiles' disappearance.

"Baby food." That was met with an uproar.

"I'm not so sure." Peter countered, quieting the room. "Do you remember that fairy we killed a few weeks back? She was heading down into the tunnels."

Deaton looked up at that. "You don't believe she was a fairy?"

"No, what if she was the queen?" Both Chris and Deaton looked up at him.

"That...That would be great. The nest can't survive without a queen." Chris breathed a sigh of relief.

Deaton looked contemplative before speaking. "Do you remember when I said I believed Stiles to possess latent magical capabilities?" He finally said.

"And here comes Deaton with the bad news just when we thought we had a chance." Scott groaned.

"There's a possibility that the male Spidren, the king, detected what I once felt. The Queen doesn't have to be female, there just needs to be someone in the role. The Spidrens obey the king in battle but a queen gives a nest stability. With the queen, they can prosper to full growth. On one hand, it means that Stiles is most likely still alive. On the other, we'll all probably be dead by the time he finds his way to us."

"Well, this has been an inspirational conversation. Really guys. This had been great." Erica got to her feet. "But I'm not willing to lay down and be eaten. Stile's wouldn't be willing to either. If he's still alive and is a fucking _queen_, you can bet anything that he's looking for a way to fight back. The least we could do is have a little faith. So what's the game plan?"

"I'll look deeper into the lore, see if I can find any notable weaknesses. Someone has to know how to kill these things." Lydia said dryly. "Danny can help me." He nodded to her and got to his feet. Both of them headed to the Hale library.

"We need to warn people. Get them in shelters. We'll have to board everything up as quickly as possible." The Sherriff got to his feet.

"I'll come with you. I have some lore at my house. We'll stop and get it on the way." Chris pinched the bridge of his nose. "Spidrens. Of all the things."

"Where are we going?" Stiles asked quietly.

"I told you I had a surprise for you didn't I?" Alexander chuckled deeply. Somewhere along the way he had removed his jacket and Stiles had trouble telling his shirt from his flesh. His skin was paler than anything Stiles had ever seen. How could they even begin to pass for human? Did they bleed red? Did they bleed at all? "Keep coming. You'll love it. I promise." Stiles nodded. He was flanked by the spider he'd met before and another large black one. They climbed over the rails with ease, stopping and waiting for him when he got tired or his legs grew weak again.

"Keep following me, love. We're almost there." Stiles stumbled and leaned onto the spider from before. It lifted itself high, anchoring his weight. He gave the creature a soft pat of thanks.

There were little yellowish spiders crawling all over his legs and bare feet. Stiles wasn't quite sure when he'd lost his shoes but he had a pretty good idea of who the culprit was.

"Here it is." Alexander stopped suddenly and whipped around, a gleeful expression on his face. Stiles walked up behind him and peeked over his shoulder. His hand flew to his mouth, horror overtaking him.

"Oh my God!" He cried out. There were three bodies tightly wrapped in silk. Spiders crawled all over them.

"Can you imagine my surprise? They were living down here! It was like they knew." Alexander let out a laugh. "Anyway, it's tradition to present a new mate with a gift and the children wanted to wrap it nicely for you." Alexander grabbed his hand and pulled him closer. "Do you like it?"

Stiles wanted to punch him in the face. He wanted to scream and run and somehow find his way back to Derek.

"You didn't have to do this." He replied weakly. "You didn't have to do this for me."

"You're my mate." Alexander pulled him flush against his chest and wrapped his arms around the younger man.

"Would it be cliché to say I'm spoken for?" Stiles tried.

"Ah yes, the muttley crew and their alpha. I smelled him on you when they brought you to me. No matter. No matter. That can be fixed." Alexander's eyes seem to glint in the darkness, a devilish smile on his face. Stiles doesn't have a second to think before he was caged against a wall. "I suppose dinner can wait?" Alexander pulled at Stile's collar, tearing his shirt down the middle.

"Jesus! Wait hold on a sec-" He was silenced by a brutal kiss, all teeth and then fangs. Alexander's canines had grown impossibly long and sharper than any vampire Stiles had ever met. His lips were already bleeding but that didn't seem to deter the Spidren. He dragged his hand across Stiles' collarbone and down his chest.

"Alexander wait-" Stiles shoves at his shoulders, turning his head away. "Let me go!" He shouted. The tunnel suddenly erupted with ferocious hissing and clicking. Alexander jerked back and bared his fangs at the spiders but they didn't back down. Stiles covered his ears. They were so loud! Finally, he let Stiles go, his shoulders drooping.

"I understand, you won't yield to me until the other is dead." He growled out. "Well _that_ can be arranged!"


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

_"Sweet creature!" said the spider, "You're witty and you're wise!  
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!  
I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf,  
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."  
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,  
And bidding you good-morning now, I'll call another day."_

"I have wards all around the house. Spidrens or not, they are magical creatures. This should be the one place they can't enter. I just pray they hold. Stiles has always been better with rune work than me." The Pack was back at the Hale House downstairs in the living room. Lydia had dragged out a number of spell books that held legends and stories pertaining to Spidrens. Each one said the same thing: stay out of their way. She sat down on the floor next to the coffee table and tried another book.

"Still nothing?" Isaac popped the cap on his soda and sat down next to Danny on the couch.

"Nothing short of killing the Queen will cause the nest to dissolve. Every one of these books says the same thing. But we can't kill Stiles. We won't. Even if we could, the Queen is the most thoroughly protected part of the nest. We'd never get close." Danny rubbed his face tiredly. "We've been going over these for hours. There's nothing new. Maybe we just need to face facts and hole up here until this is over. We can stash some people here." He suggested hopelessly.

"And let all those people out there get slaughtered. They won't be pretty deaths. No. We're going to keep looking for a way to kill them." Derek said with a finality that left no room for questions. "Then we're going to find Stiles and we're going to bring him home."

"See, that all sounds great in theory but looking at our options...well...we don't have any." Boyd said quietly from the couch. "Deaton said we only had a few hours and by now, time is up."

"We got problems." The Sherriff came through the front door in a rush, shotgun already in his hand. Derek could smell the gun residue from the recently fired weapon. It had only been ten minutes or so. "They've started coming up. Man holes, drains, any way they can get to the surface. Thery're all sizes. Chaos is already starting. People are freaking out everywhere."

"Any sign of Stiles?" Derek asked. John hung his head, a defeated look on his face.

"No. Not yet. I tried to look but it was only seconds before we were overrun. I know Deaton said they'd be big but...I wasn't expecting anything like this. They're so _fast_."

"Is it really that bad?" Melissa asked anxiously.

"They act like a hive. Hunting parties led by these giant red spiders. They're dragging people out of their homes and eating them in the streets. It's like a game to them, a show. We can't possibly save everyone. People who try to intervene and help one another become targets themselves." The Sherriff rubbed at his forehead, trying to calm himself. "This is a nightmare."

"Well this is the safest place. We go into the town and we'll try to lead people back here. We can fit plenty of people. Then we'll put up a full line of mountain ash and wait them out." Derek commanded. "We can't just sit back and let people get slaughtered. Scott, Erica, Boyd, and Allison, you head out in one team. Stay together. I mean it, _stay together_. Start checking houses and lead people back. Lydia, man the wards, keep them closed until you have them in sight. Peter, John, and Isaac, come with me. We'll do the same. Jackson, you stay back and help Lydia and Danny with whatever they need. Ms. McCall, we'll probably have some injured people."

"I have a first aid kit in my car but it won't last long and it won't do for serious injuries. We'll need things from the hospital." Mellissa warned.

"We can make a pit stop there, grab some things." Scott promised her. "I know what to look for."

"Alright but only if the way is clear. Don't take any unnecessary risks." Derek nodded.

"This whole plan is an unnecessary risk." Isaac snorted to himself.

Derek thunked him on the back of the head. "Above all, stay alive. Try to stay out of sight. If you try to fight them, you won't be just fighting one. You'll be fighting a swarm." The Pack nodded and got to their feet.

"Let's move out."

"Why did they get so upset in the tunnel?" Stiles asked quietly. Alexander was leading him back to the train car. Stiles had to press his hands to his ears to try and drown out the noise from above him. He couldn't quite make out the noises but the defiantly didn't sound good. The Spidrens at Stiles' side had pressed closer to him, putting some distance in between him and the older man.

"They thought I was going to hurt you. As if I would ever think to injure my mate." Alexander snapped back. Stiles pressed a finger to his punctured lip and sent a prayer of thanks for his newfound immunity to the Spidren's venom. He had no desire to be borderline paralyzed again.

"Alexander-" Stiles was cut off by a vicious roar. One of the large red Spidrens stepped in front of him cutting off his visual. The smaller black spiders at his side began hissing and spitting, drumming their front legs on the ground in front of them and forming a protective circle around Stiles.

"Do you hear that, Stiles? It's time to begin our ascent. My children will feast on the mortals above and I'm going to find your dog and personally rip his spine clean from his body. Then, you'll be my mate. You'll have no choice. I invite you to watch of course." Alexander jumped onto the back of the lieutenant spider, resting his legs in the juncture between the creature's abdomen and cephalothorax. He reached a hand out to Stiles. "Come on now, you can't expect to walk there. It's not exactly a walkable path."

"Can't I ride on one of these? I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable. You want to look as _royal_ as possible after all." Stiles said quickly as he rested his hand on the back of the black spider next to him. He didn't want to be any closer to the older man than he had to. If he could get far enough away, he had a better chance of escape. Alexander frowned but nodded.

"You've seemed quite partial to that one since you've been here. And I suppose it's taken a liking to you as well." He responded before hissing at the creature.

Stiles turned to the black spider that had helped him so far. It lowered itself to the ground to allow him better access. "You've always been so nice." Stiles slung his leg over and patted the spider on the side of its large head. The beast preened at the praise for a moment before rising to its full height and lifting Stiles completely off the ground. Stiles loosely remembered riding a horse once in his youth on a school field trip but this? This was completely different. He'd thought the horse had been bumpy! If the Spidren found its way blocked it would just climb up onto the walls as high as it needed to get over the obstacle. Stiles clung to its back as tightly as he could.

The Spiders marched like an army through the tunnels and it wasn't long before they were seeing light. Stiles realized that they were at the opening to the station right on the edge of the town. The citizens would never see them coming. For the first time in years, Stiles wanted to cry. It was going to be one giant bloody mess.

"Stay low and stay quiet. It doesn't look like they can see too well so they're relying on sound." Allison whispered, her crossbow held at the ready. They were almost to the edge of the forest and entering the town. She, Scott, Erica, and Boyd moved in a diamond formation downhill into the town. They weren't running, walking slowly and deliberately so as not to disturb the environment and alert the Spidrens to their presence. They came down out of the forest and into the residential area of Beacon Hills.

From there, they moved quicker, kicking in doors and checking houses for any sign of survivors. Derek had been right in his assumptions. The Spidrens had torn through the town with a ferocity like nothing they'd ever seen. In every house they checked, there was carnage. Blood spattered over walls and floors, arterial sprays reaching as high as ceilings at some points. The Spidrens had left body parts strewn all over the roads. Scott could hear screaming in the distance. He could hear the sound of flesh being ripped from bone and families pleading for their lives with creatures that knew nothing of mercy. He shuddered and tried to quiet the world around him, praying that it would be over soon.

They headed towards another house. Scott kicked in the door and they stepped inside. He led them through the front hall and around the first corner.

"Holy shit!" He whispered suddenly, shoving them back around the corner. "Back back back back! Don't make a fucking sound." They backpedaled fighting down the sudden panic at Scott's frantic tone. Erica got a glimpse over his shoulder and she covered her mouth in horror. There was a large black Spidren feeding on what looked to be like a woman's dead body. She loosely recognized her from the neighborhood. Her eyes flitted around the room, checking for any more bodies. There was a child behind Spidren, shivering violently and seeming frozen by fear.

"We have to get in there. We have to get that kid." Allison whispered fiercely.

"Did you see that thing? It was huge! There's no way we can take it on. One wrong move and it will rip us to shreds! You heard Derek, there could be more of them in the house." Scott countered.

"So what? We just leave him to die. We just give up? You've never been willing to give up before, especially when there's a child involved." Allison's eyes narrowed and her shoulders stiffened. Scott could sense that there'd be no arguing with her. Her decision had been made. "I'm not willing to do that. I'm not willing to just walk away." Allison pushed past him and back into the hall right in front of the kitchen's entrance.

She could hear the wolves moving almost silently behind her. They crept further into the hall and Allison caught the child's eye. She brought her finger to her mouth as a signal for the child to remain quiet. She couldn't tell if he understood but he made no sound so she assumed he must have. She raised her crossbow and took aim at the head of the Spidren, still buried deep in the stomach of its prey. It hadn't noticed them yet. She could see its mandibles scooping and tearing at the flesh beneath it. She took one last breath fired.

The arrow only glanced off the armored plating of the Spidren's head. It rose up and looked in their direction, its' unseeing eyes focused right on them. It began banging its legs threating on the floor in front of it.

"Shit now we've pissed it off." Erica cried. Allison fired again and the Spidren charged.

"Grab the kid!" Scott shouted to Erica. He and Boyd charged forward and tackled the beast. It threw Scott off with ease but had to buck a few times to get rid of Boyd. The Spidren let out a violent hiss.

"Shit, guys!" Erica was holding the child to her chest. "We got company!" The window in the hall behind them shattered, two more Spidrens coming through.

"We have to go! Now!" Erica snatched the child off of the floor and into her arms before jumping through the kitchen window. Boyd was quick to follow. Allison jumped next but was snatched back onto the kitchen floor. Her foot had been hooked in a web and the Spidrens, realizing they had a catch, were quick to reel her in.

"Allison!" Scott cried.

"No Scott, stay there!" She yelled fiercely. "They don't know you're there! They think it's just me! Stay there and don't move." She shouted. The Spidren's dragged her closer, mandibles and fangs snapping right in front of her face. Allison leveled her crossbow and fired directly over her head. The arrow buried itself in the soft tissue of the Spidren's underbelly. It screamed, black blood spewing from the wound and covering her. Allison shrieked in pain. The blood was corrosive like battery acid on her exposed flesh. She fired blindly over her head until she felt herself being dragged out from under the Spidrens and out the window. Scott threw her over his shoulder and broke into a sprint.

"Come on! There are more coming!" And they were running as fast as they could.

"Go for the underside!" Allison called weakly.

"Not trying to get close enough to try!" Scott called back. The Spidrens were hot on their trail jumping down from roofs onto the asphalt below.

"McCall! Here!" There was an arm waving wildly from a garage not too far away from them.

"Coach Finstock!"

"Get your ass in here, McCall so we can shut the fucking door!" They raced into the garage only stopping when they heard it slammed closed.

Scott gently lowered Allison to the ground and checked her over for wounds.

"It's not bad, just a flesh wound." She tried to say.

"Don't bullshit me. These look like chemical burns. We need to get that stuff from the hospital to treat them." Allison hands were raw, the flesh almost eaten away in some place.

"Jesus, what the hell happened to you?" Finstock asked, looking over Scott's shoulder.

"Tip, don't let them bleed on you. Their blood doesn't react well to human flesh." Allison replied wryly.

"You got close enough to those things for that to happen? No way, not me." There was a man sitting in the far corner of the garage on a milk crate. "I'd sooner shoot myself before I let one of those _things_ get near me." Upon further inspection, Scott found that there were plenty of people holed up in the garage. They'd found their own hiding space. Almost everyone had a weapon. Some people had guns. Others had pipes, shovels, and knives. Scott knew they wouldn't last for long without the ring of mountain ash to protect them.

"We've got to leave." He said finally.

"Leave? Leave and go where. In case you haven't noticed, it's the fucking apocalypse outside!"

"I know. Believe me, I know. But there's a safer place. A place where these things can't enter. If we go now, we can make it back before dark." Scott pleaded. "I know it sounds awful but they will get in here eventually and no weapons we have will stop them. Our best chance is to run for safety."

"And where would this _safety_ be?"

"The Hale House."

Alexander rode with pride.

"Look at them, Stiles. Look at them run like the vermin they are. Can you hear it? It's like a symphony." Alexander sighed in contentment. "It's beautiful."

"It's a nightmare." Stiles snapped. He was tired of playing Alexander's games. "These people are innocent."

"Are they? Is anyone ever really?" Alexander called his steed to halt. He jumped down onto the asphalt before gesturing for Stiles to do the same. "Come on now, Stiles. You judge me too harshly." He pulled Stiles close to him.

"I don't want people to die."

"And by people, you mean those mutts you call a Pack." Alexander barked out a laugh. "I can give you so much more. If he loves you so, why aren't you married? Why aren't you surrounded with children. You're an obvious nurturer after all. Just look at what you've already accomplished." He motioned to the Spidrens around them. "How quickly you were able to earn their respect. They could have rejected you but instead, they took to you with ease. Look at what we can create, Stiles. Look at what we could have."

"But I don't want this. I don't want you!" Stiles shoved him away. Alexander didn't even look dismayed at his rejection.

"Fine. Do as you will. Go find your precious Derek but my dear I know you'll see it my way. You'll come back to me, pleading to be my Queen again." Alexander released him and took a step back. "Go on. Enjoy your freedom. I know I'll see you by the end of the night." He smirked triumphantly, as if he had already won. Stiles hesitantly stepped away. The Spidren next to him hissed in discontent.

"It wants to go with you. Go on. It will be easier in your legs." Stiles watched Alexander with caution as he mounted the Spidren and took off.

"What was that about?" He asked the beast. It didn't answer. Stiles huffed an unhappy breath and set a course for the Hale House.

"Do you know where he's headed?" Alexander asked his steed. The red Spidren released an answering hiss that brought a grin to its King's face. "Right into my rival's arms. _Excellent_. He'll get a front row seat to the Alpha's death."


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

_Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing_

_"Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and silver wing:_

_Your robes are green and purple; there's a crest upon your head;_

_Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead."_

_Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little fly,_

_Hearing his wily flattering words, came slowly flitting by._

_With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew_

_Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue;_

_Thinking only of her crested head — poor foolish thing! At last,_

_Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast._

"What about this?" Danny said excitedly. "The _Frost Spell_. If done correctly, it could supposedly cover the entire town." Danny pointed out the passage in the book to Lydia.

"A _frost_ spell?" Lydia quirked her eyebrow. "And what exactly is that?"

"It's here in this legend. One hero supposedly killed the Spidrens by covering them in ice before they could grow to their human shapes. In their human shape, they can withstand the cold but the spider form reacts like a typical insect will. The frost kills them." Danny tapped his bottom lip contemplatively.

"This could work then! Jackson, call Derek! Tell him to get back here and that we might have a solution! Where did Dr. Deaton and Melissa go?" Lydia called urgently. She could hear Jackson begin dialing on the phone.

"They went to gather any medicinal herbs they could find on the property. Stiles grows some somewhere around here." Danny replied hastily.

"What do we need?"

"To be honest, it's a surprisingly simple spell. I'm sure that Deaton has all of these ingredients at his office." Danny assured her. "Here Jackson, pass me the phone." Danny called. Danny pulled the phone from his ear and situated it next to his ear. "Derek? Can you hear me?" He asked.

_"Yeah, I hear you. Speed it up though. We're kind of in the middle of running for our lives. Jackson said you might have a solution?"_ Derek's voice was tired and rough and Danny could hear fighting in background. Looks like the staying unseen plan hadn't worked.

"Yeah. We think so but we're gonna need you to swing by Deaton's place and grab us some on the ingredients that Lydia doesn't have prepped here. The spell was specific."

_"Alright, I'll send the others on back with the survivors we found and go to Deaton's myself. We really can't afford to have these civilians waiting around anymore. Can you list what you need?_"

"Derek, please. Take someone with you. You know we can't fight these things alone. You go off by yourself and you'll get yourself killed." Danny warned. "Please don't get yourself killed."

"_I'll be fine. We need to get these people back safe and we can't spare any extra bodies to go with me. They're on their way back now, Danny. I could really use that list now_."

Danny heaved a heavy sigh. "Okay, here's what we'll need."

Scott wrapped Allison's hands in gauze with care.

"You've gotten better at that." She observed with a smile. "I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing."

Scott smiled wryly at her and set their joined hands on his lap. "It's really from all that practice at the Vet's office. Not so much patching up the other wolves. You're sure you don't want me to take the pain away?" He asked gently.

"No. Save your strength. I told you, it's just a flesh wound. Barely hurts." Allison sent him a small smile. "I always appreciate the offer though." She touched his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too. I swear, if we get out of this, I'll take you on that vacation you wanted." Scott promised with a near hysterical laugh. "I swear I will." He kissed her softly, just a chaste brush of the lips.

"Let's go. We got the supplies. Let's get these people back to safety." Allison hefted herself up. "Hopefully Lydia will have figured something out by the time we get back." She squeezed the trigger of her crossbow and only winced a little at the pain in her hands. "I'll make it."

"Good! Let's move out, people!" Erica whisper shouted. She hoisted the boy from before up onto her hip.

"We move slowly and carefully throughout the town. We don't want to alert any of those beasts. Their blood is like acid. You all saw what it did to Allison's hands and arms. If you shoot, shoot from a distance and run the other way." Scott commanded. "It's a couple of miles walk but once we get to the Hale House, we should be safe."

"And why exactly is the Hale House safer than anywhere else exactly?"

"It just is okay. Trust me on this." Scott assured him. "We need to get going now before they figure out that we came here and preferably before sundown. I don't want to fight them in the dark. We've got a nurse back there too to help with any injuries. You can come or you can stay and fight it out on your own. I'm getting out of here either way." Coach Finstock measured Scott with his eyes, his lips pursed.

"Fine. I'm trusting your ass but if we get caught, I'm throwing you to them first." He finally said.

"Wouldn't imagine it any other way."

"Stop here. That's the house." Stiles whispered to his steed. He patted the beast's head and waited for it to come to a stop. The Spidren paced irately, wondering what had suddenly halted its movement.

"That's a line of mountain ash and that means that you won't be able to cross." Stiles jumped down and inspected the grass in front of him. He dragged his finger across the ground, breaking the line. "Come on quickly so we can close the line." Stiles ushered the Spidren across the line before resetting the mountain ash. "You can't walk back so it looks like you're stuck with me." The Spidren nudged at his back gently, releasing a noise that sounded suspiciously like a purr. It bumped him again setting him to begin his walk towards his home.

Stiles and his new friend headed uphill to the Hale House. When he could see the porch, he broke into a sprint. His friends, his _family,_ were so close. _Derek_ so was close. He jumped onto the porch and threw the front door open.

"Derek? Derek-"

"Stiles! Stiles you're back! You made it!" Danny saw him come in and greeted him with a tight hug. Stiles was officially alive and Danny's conscience breathed a sigh of relief. His friend had made it out alive.

"Danny! Where's everyone else? Why's the house so empty." Stiles asked fearfully but Danny wasn't looking at him anymore. Danny was looking over his shoulder, his eyes locked on the mass of black Spidren standing behind him.

"Stiles? There's a Spidren-how did it cross the line of mountain ash? Were there any more? Can any more cross?" Danny pulled him away from the creature, grabbing the hilt of a knife from the table in the hallway even though he knew it would be on no use.

"No! Danny, no!" Stiles shoved the knife away and moved to block his sight of the Spidren. "It's good. Really. It's good. It's been helping me. If it wasn't for this guy, I'd still be in Alexander's clutches."

"Alexander?"

"The King? Deaton mentioned a King." Lydia guessed. "So he was right. The King was after you. That'd explain why it let Danny walk away without ripping him to shreds." She smiled at him. "Welcome back. Jackson called Derek. He has to swing by Deaton's to pick some things up but he'll be back soon. He sounded anxious to get back here now that he knows you're with us."

Stiles beamed at her. "He's coming back soon? That's great. Call him back and tell him that Alexander's gunning for him. He needs to know. That guy won't be easy to beat." Stiles ushered the Spidren further into the house. He was glad that Derek had built such wide hallways. Otherwise, the Spidren would have never been able to walk around.

"C'mon, let's go wait on the porch. I want to be able to see everybody when they get back."

Derek knew Deaton was probably gonna be pissed at him for tearing up his office but Derek didn't exactly have the time to be gentle in his search. He tore through cabinets and drawers to grab the things that were on Lydia's list. Luckily for him, Deaton seemed to have everything labeled. There were ten ingredients and Derek had located nine of them but he couldn't find the tenth anywhere. A hair from a unicorn. Derek hadn't even known that unicorns existed but at that point he really didn't care.

"Looking for something, Alpha Hale?" A slick voice said from behind him. Derek swung around to see a well-dressed man with dark hair and dark eyes watching him from across the room. Derek's eyes narrowed at him. He certainly wasn't human. He smelled like poison and acid and death.

"I didn't hear you come in." he said accusingly, turning to face the man full on.

"I can quiet my heartbeat enough to escape your notice and well, spider legs don't make much noise. So sorry to startle you but I realized, we haven't been introduced. It seems like we would have gotten to know each other when you slaughtered my mate." Alexander's black eyes glinted dangerously. He was slowly losing the façade of a man, his teeth sharpening and his arms lengthening. "My name is Alexander." He leaned back against Deaton's overturned desk and appraised the werewolf in front of him.

"The King, I assume." Derek ground out viciously. This was dirt-bag that had held Stiles hostage for all that time.

"I see my reputation precedes me. Yes. And you've had the pleasure of meeting my children." Alexander let out a tinkling laugh, his fangs dripping a clear fluid down his chin. Humanity was slipping away from him, the beast finally coming through. "The Frost Spell." Alexander gestured to the bag in his hand. "A good choice. Too bad it won't work without a unicorn's hair and it seems the good doctor has misplaced them." Alexander shrugged. "A shame really. On the upside it means that when I kill you, Stiles won't have a reason to deny me the joys of his flesh anymore."

Derek let loose a rabid snarl and launched himself, claws drawn. Alexander laughed heartily and snapped his fingers. Webs shot from every corner of the room, ensnaring the Alpha's arms and legs, dragging him to the ground and holding him there despite his struggling. He clawed at the threads angrily snarly and snapping his jaws at the Spidren.

"I'm a lover not a fighter. No Alpha Hale, I won't lay a finger on you. I have plans for that flesh after all. Stiles will be tied to you as long as you draw breath. I figured, if I have you executed in front of him, he'll have no other reason to deny my affections." Alexander flexed his fingers, long spindly black claws growing from the tips. "What can I say? If this doesn't work I can always give him my bite."

"Yours?" Derek's red eyes were still furious but now there was a hint of fear for Stiles' safety.

"I hate to use it. It's a tricky thing and the after effects," Alexander shrugged, "they're not as desirable if I would like. It would make Stiles a drone. He'd bend too easily to my will. Lose all that sass and I'm not sure that's what I want. He'd be nothing more than a pleasure slave." Alexander plucked one of the webs confining Derek to the floor. "But if that's my only option, _C'est la vie_. I'll manage. Pick him up boys. Let's take the Alpha home."

"Shouldn't they be back yet?" Stiles sat on the porch of the Hale House, his back against the black Spidren's body.

"They're working their way here. Scott called. He said Allison was hurt when they were helping a kid out of a house. Be careful, apparently their blood is corrosive," Danny looked pointedly at the Spidren behind him.

"I'm telling you Danny. It's not going to hurt me. Queen remember. It's programed not to." Stiles rubbed the creature's soft underbelly. "Think Derek will let me keep it?"

"No way. Derek will kill it on sight. He's not going to want that thing around." Danny leaned against the porch railing. "He probably won't be alone in that sentiment."

Stile sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll have to get it out of here before Derek comes back,"

"Scott's in the line of mountain ash. Allison just reset it. They're bringing people back now." Jackson called from inside the house. "Stiles, you may want to hide your friend so as not to spook the townsfolk."

"Yeah. I guess you're right. C'mon…you. I really should figure out if you're a boy or a girl." Stiles smiled shakily at the Spidren.

The creature tapped its front legs against the ground in front of it suddenly violent and anxious. It head butted Stiles, knocking him to the ground and crowded over top of him.

"Hey! I though you said it wouldn't hurt you!" Danny was reaching for the knife and Jackson had his claws extended.

"No wait! What's wrong? What's wrong with you?!" Stiles cried frantically, trying to get up.

"Having fun, Stiles?" The world seemed to slow to a stop, Stiles' heart pounding in his ears. That voice. No. How could he be so close? How could he cross the line? Stiles turned his head to see a nightmare before him.

Alexander was dressed as impeccably as ever, suit still intact, hair still in place but he'd clearly left his humanity at the door. He now had six eyes, the extra four wrapping around his temples on either side and his frontal eyes had lost their whites. They were pitch black and bored through Stiles' soul. He had no nose or lips but mandibles like the Spidren in front of him. He seemed to still have human teeth and a human tongue but Stiles wasn't sure what was connected to what.

However, what startled him most was Alexander's lower half. In place of his legs was the body of a spider, six legs, long and black with little hairs sticking off at odd angles. His arms had seemed to elongate, black claws delicately resting on each finger.

"So Stiles, I'll give you a choice. You come to me or I decimate this town." He gestured loosely behind him the web-sacs on each Spidren's back. They each held a citizen of Beacon Hills. Stiles could point out his father, his old teachers, Chris Argent, and oh, there was Derek all trussed up. "I would of course free the Alpha as well." One of the red Spidren's dropped Derek like a sack of potatoes.

Alexander stared Stiles down. "The choice is yours."


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter 6

_He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,_

_Within his little parlor; but she ne'er came out again!_

_And now, dear little children, who may this story read,_

_To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed;_

_Unto an evil counselor close heart, and ear, and eye,_

_And take a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly._

_"Deaton, how many times do I have to say it? I am _not_ magic!" Stiles cried in a frustrated huff shoving the crystals away from him. They were trying scrying for the witch again and just like all his other attempts, it failed horribly. The thing just twirled aimlessly in the air, not landing definitively anywhere._

_"You just need to concentrate harder. The power is within you, Stiles. You need to order your thoughts and will it to happen. Order your mind and the power will follow." Deaton instructed quietly, gently handing the crystals back to him. "I know you have the power in you. Try again?"_

_"Or maybe you're seeing something that isn't there. I'm not a witch, Deaton." Stiles snapped. Another failure. He didn't need any more reminders of just how useless he was to his pack when it came to fighting the good fight._

_"Deny all you want," Dr. Deaton said with a shrug, "it matters not what you believe now. The truth will make itself known in time. Your power will come when you need it. You must not be afraid to use it."_

_"Yeah. Okay. I'm done. Can we go now? I really want to be able to give Derek something concrete and it looks like this scrying thing isn't going to get him the results he wants. I'm just going to have to do things the old fashioned way. We've really got to catch this stupid fairy. Derek thinks it's working down in the subway."_

_"Quite possible. Beacon Hills transit system is old and abandoned. A perfect place for her to hide out." Deaton agreed._

_"Well then I better get going. I'll be hitting the books all night."_

_Stiles left Deaton's office in a hurry, walking quickly back to his Jeep. He'd have to hit the library again, see what he could find there. In the midst of his thoughts, he dropped his keys. They nearly disappeared in the dark._

_"Shit!" Stiles bent over, dragging his fingers over the concrete in an effort to find his keys and-_

_"Looking for these?" A smooth voice asked. Stiles 'meeped' and jolted up straight. There was a man watching him, a wry grin on his face. He was dangling Stiles' keys right in front of his face._

_"Yeah! Thanks man! I would've been out here for hours." Stiles took his keys, ignoring the gentle brush of fingers during the exchange. The man quirked a curious eyebrow, his eyes skating of Stiles' lean form._

_"Of course, Stiles. I always love to help. Dare I say I find myself enchanted." A tinkling laugh. "Have a safe night. You never know what nasties are lurking around." A wink and he was gone, leaving Stiles alone in the lot, a cold pit in his stomach. He shook his head. No way. A coincidence. He unlock his door, got in his jeep, and drove away disregarding any fears he held about strange men in finely tailored suits. _

_He never stopped to wonder how the man had known his name. _

"Okay. Okay, you win, Alexander." Stiles held up his hands. "I'll go. Please just let everyone go. I'll do whatever you want." Stiles lightly shoved the Spidren that had fought so hard to protect him away, palms held out in surrender. "You stay here. You protect them. Please protect them." He whispered resting his forehead against the beast's as if he could borrow some of its strength. He sucked in a deep breath and then turned to face his enemy.

As quickly as he was a monster, Alexander became a man. Impeccably dressed, his shoes shined perfectly and his suit flawlessly pressed. He held out his hand for Stiles to take.

"Good. I knew you'd see it my way. It's time to go home." His smile was still a little feral, a little beastly but Stiles complied, lacing his fingers with the creature's. "I knew my Queen would come back to me."

"Stiles no! You can't! We just got you back." Danny cried from the porch. Lydia and Jackson stood with him, matching looks of fear on their faces.

"Of course he can. He will." Stiles was yanked down into a harsh embrace, his face against Alexander's chest. "I've slaughtered half your town, don't make me finish the rest of them off." Alexander snarled at them.

"No guys! I can do this." Stiles faced the Spidren. "He is the King after all. I should have never run away."

Alexander beamed at him. "And now you're learning. Let us go."

"Swear to me, first. Swear you won't hurt them."

"If you come with me, I'll have no need to." Alexander replied, attempting to placate his soon to be mate.

"Swear to me, Alexander." Stiles commanded, his honey brown eyes flashing dangerously.

"Of course, my little Queen. I swear. We'll take out leave now." He pulled Stiles with him through the mob of Spidrens. They parted easily, pulling their hostages along with them. Stiles could see the townspeople watching him with pity as they were each cut loose. He couldn't bring himself to look for his father. He couldn't bring himself to look for _Derek_.

Stiles felt hot tears running down his cheeks. He'd followed Alexander down into the subway without a word. He was afraid of what he would say should he try to speak. Alexander would This was it. One of the moments he'd dreaded his whole life and _no_ _one_ was coming to save him. They were all trapped and their safety rode on his compliance with a madman's demands. Stiles shuddered at the thought. There was no hope of Alexander being gentle. The creature was too angry, livid at his disobedience. Alexander would put Stiles in his place.

"I have had it with your insolence!" Alexander gave Stiles' shoulders a violent shake and threw him down onto the bed. Stiles bounced in the center for a few seconds before Alexander was on him, pinning him down and holding the younger man's hands above his head.

_I have to kill him, _Stiles thought,_ that's the only way I'm gonna make it out of this! He has to die. That's the only way! _Danny had mentioned a spell to kill a Spidren, something to do with frost. But it wouldn't work now. Alexander was fully grown resistant to the cold. Covering him in ice would do nothing but piss him off. And besides, Stiles didn't quite have the ingredients to put the spell together. He cursed mentally. So close!

Alexander slid a hand under his shirt, caressing the soft flesh he found there.

"You're perfect." He said. "I can take you anywhere, Stiles. I've fulfilled my mating drive for the next eighty years or so and in the meantime, we can go anywhere. Do _anything. _Paris? Milan? Tell me where you want to go and we'll be there by tomorrow." He messily mouthed at Stiles' neck, the venom causing the younger man's skin to tingle, a sort of numbness taking him over. Would Derek still want him after this, after his body was defiled by a monster? Was Derek even still alive?

"If I let you go, will you behave yourself?" Alexander nosed at his throat, his voice muffled by the flesh he found there.

"I'll behave." Stiles whispered back. Alexander released his wrist in favor of trailing his hands down Stiles' body.

Stiles shivered in revulsion, a sudden chill taking over his body. God, it was so fucking cold down in the tunnels. It was the middle of summer and yet it felt like the artic down there. Had it been this cold when was there before? He couldn't remember. Alexander was so rich and powerful but he couldn't spring for a fucking space heater? Stiles scoffed bitterly, his teeth beginning to chatter at the chill.

"Are you cold, darling?" Alexander teased. "Don't worry, I'll warm you up."

Stiles wanted to snort at the cliché line but found he couldn't. He could barely feel Alexander's hands anymore, the chill numbing his senses. He pressed his hands flat to Alexander's chest trying to force him away but his vision was becoming bleary. Alexander was saying something, his delicate lips forming words but Stiles' ears felt like they were filled with cotton. There was barely any sound, only a muffled chaos. The room was swimming, colors blending and bleeding together. Alexander was shifting, his face contorting in agony, quickly devolving into something more spider than man. Claws dragged down Stiles' front, the pain nearly splitting him in half. Stiles wanted to scream, the cold and the pain were to become too much and Alexander…Alexander was turning blue, his fingers blackening and shattering. The older man's face moved from rage to fright, his mouth opening in one last silent scream and then…Stiles saw nothing.

"Stiles!" Derek? But that wasn't right. Derek was above ground. Derek was hurt. There's no way Derek could be so close to him, shouting his name. "Stiles wake up! Please wake up!" Stiles' eyelids felt heavy, like they were made of lead. "We need to get you the hospital."

"Stiles, I need you to open your eyes. I know it's difficult but you need to try." Deaton was there too? Stiles tried to shift but his whole body ached. His eyes refused to obey his simplest of commands. His chest felt like it had been ripped to shreds.

"He's not waking up, we should just go!" Scott's frantic voice over the both of them. "Let's just get him to the surface!"

There was a dull beeping sound somewhere in the room. Alexander didn't seem like that much of technological guy. What did he have down in the tunnels that beeped?

"I think he's waking up. Stiles, can you open your eyes for me, hun?" Melissa McCall. Okay, now Stiles was really confused. What was Melissa doing down in the tunnels? Had Alexander taken her too?

"No! Bad Spidren! We don't bite people!" Danny was there, too. Was everyone there? "Bad! Don't-" A sharp pain ripped through his left leg and Stiles flew up, his eyes shooting wide open. There was white everywhere but not webbing white, hospital white. He was in the hospital. There was another nip at his calf.

"OW! Jesus! Who bit me?" He cried out groggily, looking around the crowded room. That had definitely been a bite. Oh god. Was he a werewolf now? Had his injuries really been that bad? Had Derek-

Derek. He was there too. Jesus Christ. How had he not realized-

Derek was there looking a little worse for wear but whole all the same. His hair was a mess but his eyes were bright and alive and he had the little stupid little upturn of the corner of his mouth that Stiles called a smile. He was alive.

"Derek, you're okay." He breathed a relieved sigh.

"Yeah, I'm alright. The King kept his promise and left us the hell alone. You shouldn't have worried about me though, you're the one who was actually hurt." Derek said softly, his eyes flickering to the floor. "You shouldn't have gone with him, Stiles."

"Not now, he's in the hospital. You two can share a mutual angst fest after everyone's healed and we've somewhat mentally recovered from this nightmare." Lydia said airily, taking her seat on the other side of Stiles' bed. "You'll be happy to know that our sleepy little town is already putting itself back together, no muss no fuss. It's like they all just want to forget this nightmare happened even more than we do."

"Stiles lay back down before you pop your stitches. Ms. McCall will have a fit if you do. It was your friend from before. He's uh…he's changed a bit since you last saw him." Danny gave him a calm shove back down onto the hospital bed. Stiles looked around but there was no sign of the Spidren from before.

"What are you talking about? And how'd you figure out that it was a boy?" Stiles asked. He could feel the stretching of the wounds on his chest as he moved. Yeah, he definitely needed to stay stationary. He rested his head back onto the pillows.

"Well, it kind of became obvious after a while." Danny stepped aside but something moved with him. There was a small child clinging to his pant leg. He looked to be about four or five with pale skin and irises as black as the night. He looked so much like Alexander. "The thing just cracked open and out popped this kid naked as a jaybird. Final stage of their life cycle."

"He led us to you. The tunnels were his home for a time, after all." Deaton explained. "He should grow at the rate of a human child though there'll be some," his eyes flickered to the kid, "_noticeable_ differences."

Stiles tore his eyes away from Derek's face long enough to openly stared at the little boy. What felt like an eternity passed before he opened his arms and nodded. The child was quick to climb up into the bed and wrap his little arms around Stiles' neck. Stiles winced slightly as a knee pressed against the wounds on his chest.

"Queen." The little boy sighed quietly, nuzzling against him before promptly falling asleep. Funny, Stiles didn't remember the Spidrens ever sleeping. But he supposed they had to get their rest as well.

"How many more where there?" Stiles' asked.

"So far, just him. It was insane. We were surrounded and then…they just dispersed. It's like they didn't want to be here either. Without the King, they all just walked away. It was a bitch getting out of those webs though." Isaac supplied, answering Stiles' other questions before he could ask.

"And he stayed?"

"Yeah. He was pulling Derek loose with his mandibles when he changed into a human. He just sliced straight through them with little claws after that. Once we were out, he led us down to through the tunnels and into the train car where you were being held. The King was dead." Danny replied.

"A successful _Frost Spell_." Deaton said quietly from the back of the train car. "Or something close to it. The King was frozen from the inside out."

"You guys did the spell! Way to go! I knew something had to have happened!" Stiles cheered.

"No. We didn't. You did. You killed him." Derek said quietly, placing a gentle hand on Stiles' arm. "Looks like the magic was there inside you after all."

"What? No. I just got really cold and…and I don't know. Alexander he-" Stiles furiously shook his head. "There's no way I did that. I don't have magic, Derek."

"Stiles, you placed your hand over his heart and froze it. Only you could have done it." Deaton insisted. "It's why he chose you. He could feel the magic within you."

Stiles shook his head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." He said.

"Then you don't have to." Derek promised. "I'm sure you'd like to go back to bed anyway." He nodded to his betas who immediately stood. "We'll leave you alone for the night."

"No, Derek wait!" Stiles cried suddenly, startling his charge awake. The child blinked drowsily for a few moments before laying back down on Stiles' chest. "Will you stay with me? Please?"

Derek nodded slowly and sat back down.

"If you want me to." Stiles nodded hastily. He maneuvered his new bedmate around to find a new and more comfortable position before falling asleep himself.

Stiles awoke to a gentle purring sound. "Hey kiddo. You didn't move the whole night did you?"

"He left with Danny for a few seconds to get something to eat and then climbed right back in bed with you. He won't go anywhere else unless Danny's with him." Derek's voice came softly from his left. Stiles craned his neck to find Derek's face. He smiled.

"Good morning. Or at least I think it's morning. I don't know how long I've been out."

"It's around noon so you're not too far off. You feeling any better?" Derek pulled his chair closer to Stiles' bed. "I'm glad that you're okay. Stiles, you shouldn't have gone down there with him. The things he could have done to you-"

"Derek, no. Don't do that. He didn't get the chance to hurt me. We're here, we're together, and he's dead." Stiles reached out and touched his cheek. "We have a town to put back together. You can't wallow in guilt."

"I should have protected you. It should've never come down to that, Stiles. I should've never let you and Danny go alone in the first place." Derek tugged at his dark looks, a look of frustration on his face.

"You can't protect me all the time, Derek. For one, it would get on my nerves. I'm just glad that it worked out in the end. I was afraid I'd never see you again." Stiles pulled Derek's hand from his hair and gently laced their fingers together.

"I can't just leave him, you know. He's got nowhere else to go. And we've got all that room at the house." Stiles said as he fondly stroked the child's hair. "He'll need a name and new clothes and a room and training for those murderous urges but-"

"Marry me."

Stiles eyes shot to Derek's face.

"What? Derek what are you-"

"Okay, that wasn't supposed to come out that way. I had a plan and it was good but," Derek laughed grimly, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm really bad at this."

"Yeah. You kind of are. Do you even have a ring? Oh my god, what do you think I am?" Stiles buried his face in the kid's hair to hide his smile. Derek could be such a dork!

"It's not with me. I left it at the house which I where I was going to ask you in a couple of weeks but then this happened and-" Derek sucked in a ragged breath, "and I realized that I can't live without you."

"Derek it's okay-"

"No wait. Let me say this. If I don't do it now, I'll never do it." Derek cut him off. Stiles pursed his lips thoughtfully but obediently nodded and settled back into his seat.

"I don't have much, okay? I'm still getting used to this whole pack family 'we're supposed to trust each other' thing because frankly, I don't trust anyone. Or I didn't. And then you came and you took everything I knew and threw it out the window. And now I'm here thinking about marriage and you already have a fucking kid and that's one more kid to take care of because we have like eight but Danny and Lydia and Allison can really take care of themselves and I know I'm really fucked up. I'm a terrible person and I don't really know why-"

"Yes." Stiles squeezed his hand to stop the rant. "Derek, I'm the babbler, remember? Yes, I'll marry you. I don't know how it took you so long. I've been sneaking those wedding magazines in your underwear drawer for like four months. Did you finally get my subliminal messages?"

Derek returned his squeeze, his lip quirked in just a hint of a smile.

"He's gonna need a name."

"Yeah. We'll get there. Let him sleep."

"You should go back to sleep, too. You'll heal quicker."

"Nah I'm too excited now! Cut me some slack, Sourwolf. I just got engaged." Stiles had never smiled so hard before. He was safe, he was alive, and goddammit, Derek had finally gotten his act together.

"Queen." The Spidren still glue to his chest cooed softly.

Yeah, sometimes it was good to be royalty.


End file.
